Broad topics set for first presidential debate
None of the topics for the much anticipated first official debate between presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump address health policy specifically, but it’s certainly possible issues such as the Affordable Care Act’s insurance exchanges and prescription drug prices will be discussed.
The first of three presidential debates will be Monday night at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The moderator is Lester Holt of NBC News. It will be 90 minutes long and uninterrupted by commercials
The debate topics are America’s direction, achieving prosperity and securing America. Each topic will be covered in two 15-minute segments. The topics are subject to change in the event of major news.
The topics’ broadness could leave an opening for discussing health policy, although the debate will likely focus on issues such as terrorism and the relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
Healthcare headlines that could be brought up include a recent congressional hearing on high price of EpiPens and rising prescription drug costs in general. The stability of the ACA exchanges has also been brought into question with major insurers scaling back participation and leaving some areas of the country with only one or two insurers offering plans.
The candidates have a major divide on the ACA; Trump has vowed to repeal it, while Clinton says she wants to tweak and improve it so more Americans are covered and healthcare costs are lowered.